This weekend will be a critical marker for the burgeoning independent Black film movement. Opening in theaters in select cities this Friday, Middle of Nowhere is a compelling drama about a young newlywed who puts her happiness on hold as she eagerly awaits for her husband's early release from a five-year prison sentence.

In current times of civil unrest, economic injury, and political failure, we depend on love -- in all its complexity and even through untenable circumstances -- to keep ourselves human. Here are the top 10 films that cannot be missed in the coming year: